Automobile signal



1 Aug 927 G. w. MICHAEL AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL 84 .1 62 d Attorny 4Sheets-Sheet l J ilt Filed May- 22, 1925 G. W. MICHAEL AUTOMOBILE SIGNALAug. 30, 1927; 1,640,794

Filed May 22, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E, f m

lllll llllll IIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIMI/m Tnvc who!" 1,640 7941927' G. w. MICHAEL AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL Filed May 22, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet5 Inventor 2.6 Jae/40x AHuor-ne y 1927' s. w. MICHAEL AUTOMOBILE SIGNALFiled May 22, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invcrvbo'n Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. MICHAEL, OF WILKES-BARBIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMOBILE y SIGNAL.

Application filed May 22,

This invention relates to signal systems for automobiles, and has forits object to provide an improved apparatus for the purpose ofindicating changes of direction or movement on the part of theautomobile.

The signals include a swinging arm or semaphore operated by an electricmotor which is controlled by switches conveniently mounted on thesteering wheel. One of the arms may be placed at the front and rear endsrespectively of the car; or only one can be used, at the rear end, ifdesired.

Associated with the arm is a lighting and bell system, the latter beingautomatically operated to sound the bell when a direction signal isgiven.

The motor is of the reversible type, and is so controlled that when aturn in one direction is intended, say to the right, it will swing thearm or arms to point to the right, and reversely with respect to theleft. The arm may carry a light with a green lens, so that it can bereadily. seen at night. When a stop is intended, the arm can be swungfirst one way and then the other, providing a waving effect. The devicethus provides a very effective day and night signal apparatus.

The controlling switches are preferably mounted on the steering wheel inconvenient position to be respectively operated by the hands of thedriver, the button at one side being pressed for a right turn, at theother-side for a left turn and first one and then the other for a stopsignal, the motor being correspondingly operated to swing the arm.

Various improvements in the details of the apparatus will be apparentfrom the following description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which-- Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation ofan automobile with one ofthe signal devices at the rear and another atthe front. Fig. 2

is an elevation of the semaphore or swinging arm, together with switchescontrolling the bell circuit. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the reardevice. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of the same. Fig. 5 is asection on'the line 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a diagram of the bellcircuit. Fig. 7 is a diagram of the light circuit. Fig. 8 is a diagramof the motor circuit.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6

I out.

rear end of shaft 1923. Serial No. 640,677.

indicates an automobile body. One of the devices may be placed at eachend thereof, the rear device being conveniently attached to the rear andthe other mounted in front of the windshield. The devices are similar,and the description of one will answer for both, the rear one beingselected for this purpose. The rear plate of the body is indicated at 7,and has bolted thereto a plate 8 with a screw socket 9 which receives ascrew plug 10 projecting from the back wall 11 of a casing 12 whichsupports the arm and\the operating mechanism. Within the casing is amotor 13 of the reversible type, the armature shaft 14 of which has apulley 15 connected by a belt 16 to a pulley 17 mounted on a shaft 18supported by a bracket 19 and the rear plate 20 on the casing. The shaft18 carries a pulley 21 connected by a belt 22 to a pulley 23 which isloose on a shaft 24 suitably mounted in the casing. The front end ofshaft 24 is squared as indicated at 25 and slidable thereon is a clutchsleeve 26 having a circular flange 27 with projections 28 which engageprojections 29 on the wheel 23 when the clutch is thrown in. The clutchis shifted by a lever 30 which is pivoted at 31 and which has a fork 32with pins 33 engaging in a groove 34 around the sleeve 26. This lever isprovided at its lower end with an armature 35 in the field of anelectromagnet 36 in the motor circuit to be described. A spring 37opposes the pull of the magnet and normally holds the clutch A screw 38forms a stop for the back movement'of the armature.

The shaft 24 carries a pinion 39 which meshes with a gear 40 on a mainshaft 41 which is mounted in bearings in the front and rear plates ofthe casing and projects beyond the latter.

A semaphore or arm 42 is mounted on the 41 and swings therewith. Thisarm 42 has a counter-weight 43 which normally holds the arm in uprightposition, but it can swin either way when the motor is operated. T eupper or outer end of the arm may have clips 44 to hold the stick of asmall flag 45 if desired. The arm is also provided with a green lamp 46.A red or tail li ht 47 is supported by a bracket 48 secure to'the casing12. Suitable circuit connections are made to these lamps, including apair of brushes 49 bearing against conthe weight 43 so that when ingattention.

"of the reversible type.

ductor rings 15 on the hub of the arm, so that the green lamp is incircuit in all positions of the arm. a I

Fig. 7 illustrates the lamp circuits indicated at 51, receiving currentfrom a battery 52, the circuit including a push button switch 53 whichmay be located in any convenient position on the machine. The batterymay be the ordinary storage battery of the automobile.

Associated with the arm, and controlled thereby, is a bell circuitindicated at 54 to a hell 55, and this circuit may be connected to abattery '52 orotherwise derived therefrom. It includes a pair of springswitches 56, see Figs. 4 and 6, located in the path of the arm is swungone way or the other it will strike the spring member of one of theswitches and close the circuit to. sound the bell, therebyattractmounted on stop blocks 57 against one of which the weightstrikes, after closing the switch, to limit the swing of the arm. Fig. 6shows the arm in normal upright position in full lines and in the rightand left po sitions in dotted lines.

The motor circuit is shown in. Fig. 8, and one of its branches includesthe magnet 36 which operates the clutch. It may receive its current froma generator 60, and it embodies four branches indicated at a, b, c, andd connected in pairs (land a, and b and d to the brush and fieldterminals of the motor respectively, the motor as stated being Theseleads pass to or thru a box or block 61 conveniently mounted on thesteering post and having brushes 62 which contact respectively withfour'rings 1, 2, 3, and 4 mounted on the steering wheel 63. Each ofthese is connected by leads to the poles of a four-point push buttonswitch 64 mounted on the right side of the wheel, the points beingindicated at 1', 2 3 and 4 and to a similar push button switch 65mounted on the left side of the steering wheel, the corresponding pointsbeing indicated at 1, 2, 8 and 4 These push buttons will be located inconvenient positions on the wheel so that when turning to the right theright hand push button may be pressed by the right thumb and whenturning to the left the left hand push button may be pushed by the leftthumb. l/Vhen this is done, the current from the generator will operatethe motor accordingly the respective movements driving the motor on wayor the other according to the switch closed. 1

llhen the motor circuitis closed as stated the motor shaft will turn andthe rotation stops against block- 57.

And these switches 56 are will be transmitted thru the reducing belt andpulley gearing to the clutch pulley 23, which as stated, is loose on theshaft 24. At the same time, the circuit of the magnet 36 will be closedand the magnet will attract the armature 35 thereby swinging the clutchlever 30 on its pivot 31 and shifting the clutch member 28 to engagementwith the wheel 23. This picks up and rotates the shaft 24, pinion 39,gear 40, and shaft 41, and the weighted arm will swing to the right orleft as thecase may be, thereby indicating the-direction of the intendedturn. When the arm swfngs, it closes the bell circuit as above describedand illustrated in Fig. 6, and sounds the bell. The swing of'the arm Ifthe push button on the steering wheel is arm strikes the stop, the bolts16 and 22 will slip to permit the excessive movement without wreckingthe apparatus. WVhen the push button is released, the magnet circuit isopened and the'spring 37 throws the clutch out. The weight 43 thenrestores the arm to its normal upright position and the apparatus isready for the next operation.

For a stop signal, first one push button then the other may be pressed.This drives the motor first one way and then the other, causing thesemaphore to swing accordingly. For night use, the lamp circuit shown inFig. 7 will be closed,.and the green light .carried by the arm will beswung therewith.

As stated, the above description refers to the rear system particularly,but a substantial d uplicate of the device may be placed on the front ofthe car and connected ina similar manner to the switches on the steeringwheel, whereby both signals will be similarly and indications at boththe of the car. The invention is not limited to the particulararrangement or construction shown, but various modifications thereof arepossible within the, scope of the following claim.

I claim:

The combination of a rock shaft, an electric'motor, a gear on the rockshaft, a counter shaft, a pulley and a pinion attached to each other andloose on the counter shaft, driving means between the motor and thepulley, a friction clutch member slidable on the counter shaft to engagethe side of the pulley and permit slip when the movement of the rockshaft is obstructed, and an electro-magnet in the motor circuit,controlling the action of the said clutch member.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

GEORGE WV. MICHAEL.

held down after the simultaneously operated to give rear and the front I

